1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to an image forming apparatus. More particularly, the present general inventive concept relates to a cover structure which enables users to easily replace expendables or components which are mounted in an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
High-speed and high-end devices generally have many optional components, so the number of components which must be replaced, attached or detached by users or service engineers is relatively large.
For example, such optional components may include a developing unit which develops images, a toner cartridge which supplies toner to the developing unit, an intermediate transfer belt unit which forms an image by overlapping four color toners, a waste toner collection unit which collects waste toner generated in the intermediate transfer belt or a photoconductive body, a paper feeding cassette which supplies paper, and a finisher which performs post-processing (stapling, folding, rotating, offsetting, pasting or punching) of printed paper. These optional components are frequently used in the business-to-business (B2B) market or corporate printers, and the use frequency thereof is likely to increase.
When designing an image forming apparatus in order to mount these option components, the paper feeding cassette and the developing unit may be attached or detached on the front of the image forming apparatus so that access by users is easy, and the intermediate transfer unit may be attached or detached to a side of the image forming apparatus, and other components such as the waste toner collection unit may be attached or detached in different diverse directions.
The reason that optional components are disposed to be accessible by the user in different directions is that the user cannot easily access important components or careful components and only service engineers having expertise can install or replace such components.
There is a recent trend that large devices which require replacement of diverse components are designed to be replaced directly by the user rather than be maintained and repaired by service engineers. Accordingly, each replaceable component is modularized and the structure of the image forming apparatus is improved in order for users to have easy access.
However, even if replaceable component are modularized, if attachment and detachment of each replaceable component are made in different directions, users having no expertise may not know in which direction each component is attached or detached, and the user must take the time to learn this for each component.
In addition, since one side of the image forming apparatus is generally disposed adjacent to a wall or other object, when optional components are attached or detached in the direction to the wall or other object, the image forming apparatus must be moved in order to attach or detach the optional components.
In addition, if option components are designed to be attached or detached in diverse directions, covers which are opened and closed to attach or detach in diverse directions have to be installed so that there is a space for installation and for an increased numbers of components to be considered as well as design restrictions.
In addition, if covers are designed to be opened and closed in diverse directions, a space and components for each cover, a space and components for opening or closing each cover, and a space and components for fixing each cover are required, with the result that the size of the image forming apparatus becomes larger and the structure becomes more complicated.
Furthermore, in order to open and close the covers in diverse directions, a space over a certain size must be secured so that the space for using the image forming apparatus is significantly wider than the space for installing the image forming apparatus, so space usage is inefficient.